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Robeco Group reports Full Year Results 2011: Robust 2011, good start to 2012

Robeco Group reports Full Year Results 2011: Robust 2011, good start to 2012

29-03-2012
|
Press release
Robeco Group announces results for the full year ended 31 December 2011.

Rotterdam, 29 March 2012 - Robeco Group announces results for the full year ended 31 December 2011. Robeco Group had a strong year, with net cash inflows at a record level of EUR 7.6bn increasing assets under management to EUR 150.3bn, despite turmoil in financial markets affecting investment performance. Further net inflows in January and February of 2012 (EUR 14.8bn) have increased assets under management to EUR 176bn at 29 February 2012.

Commenting on the 2011 Full Year Results, Roderick Munsters, Chief Executive Officer of Robeco said:

“2011 was a year of two halves, with the Euro crisis in the second half inevitably having a detrimental effect on stocks, leading to declines in both developed and emerging markets. There were successes in other asset classes however, with long term bonds of credit worthy European countries and the USA offering good returns in 2011, helping Robeco's bond funds deliver strong performance. In 2010, Robeco set out a four year strategy aimed at helping our clients achieve their investment ambitions and increasing profitability, by focusing on cost efficient growth. Two years into the plan, we have been able to achieve our asset growth targets while we continued to improve efficiency, with the implementation of measures to reduce IT and operations expenses. Further strategic actions will be undertaken in the years ahead.

Although financial markets are likely to remain volatile, it appears that investors are ready to add some risk to their portfolios and thus far, 2012 inflows are very encouraging and many of our investment strategies have had a strong start to the year. We remain cautiously optimistic, our optimism buoyed by a strong start to the year and the cost efficiency measures we have implemented positioning us well for growth.”

Operating Income
Operating income decreased by EUR 83.3mn to EUR 680.3mn (-10.9%) in 2011. Although management fees increased, the net fee from asset-management activities decreased by EUR 44.0mn to EUR 631.2mn due to substantial lower performance fees. As a result, net profit declined to EUR 133.8mn in 2011 from EUR 181.3mn the previous year.
The increase in management fee income was a direct result of higher assets under management during the year due to the positive net investment result and significant net cash inflow. This increase was offset by the impact of the increase of the US dollar during 2011. Lower performance fees were the main reason for the decline in income from asset-management activities, with the products of Transtrend (Diversified Trend Program), in particular showing a negative investment result, due to financial markets turmoil. For 2011 the total gross performance fees earned group-wide amounted to EUR 14.3mn, which was EUR 80.4mn lower than in the previous year.

Assets under management

2011 (€bn)

2010 (€bn)

Total

Retail

Institutional

Total

Retail

Institutional

AuM at 1 Jan 2011

149.6

81.0

68.6

134.9

67.1

67.8

Investment result

-4.5

-2.9

-1.6

19.6

10.6

9.0

Net cash flow

7.6

2.2

5.4

-3.4

3.3

-6.7

Other losses

-2.4

-2.0

-0.4

-1.5

-0.1

-1.4

AuM at 31 Jan 2011

150.3

78.3

72.0

149.6

80.9

68.7

The total cash inflow was over EUR 10.0bn with outflow of EUR 2.4bn in 2011, resulting in a net cash inflow of EUR 7.6bn. The net cash inflow from institutional clients was especially strong and well-diversified gaining EUR 5.4bn compared to EUR 2.2bn from retail clients. Dutch institutional clients particularly contributed to the strong inflow, both in equity and fixed income products.

The proportion of institutional assets to Robeco’s total assets under management further increased to 48% (2010: 46%).

Europe
In Europe, assets under management in 2011 were at similar levels to 2010. On the European retail business side, the outflow in money-market products and structured products (mainly a result of terminations) and some equity funds was offset by inflows into US-managed equity funds, various fixed income funds and Transtrend products. The cash inflow into mutual funds was remarkably strong despite poor market conditions caused by the credit crisis.

Netherlands
Robeco has further strengthened its institutional market share in the Netherlands, demonstrating good progress in the year.

The development of Robeco’s Premie Pensioen Instelling (PPI, a defined-contribution pension institution) has continued and Robeco has won significant mandates in this area, adding to assets under management in 2011 and in early 2012. The strength of Robeco’s Investment Solutions department (established in 2010) has contributed to this success. The department strives to offer pension funds and other institutional investors a full service to face the challenges of the present and the future, which include population ageing and longevity as well as inflation.

Rest of the World
Robeco’s footprint includes offices in the Middle East and Asia Pacific where Robeco concentrates on institutional investors, larger distributors and intermediaries. AUM for the Rest of the World remained stable in 2011 with net cash inflow from both retail and institutional business.
Canara Robeco, Robeco’s joint venture in India, which was established in 2007, has built a reputation for reliability and as a market authority in a very short time, providing a solid foundation for long-term growth. Assets under management have shown a steady increase since 2007 and continue to grow.

Responsible investment
Robeco had a strong year in responsible investment winning EUR 1.1bn of new engagement mandates in 2011. In total, assets under engagement (AuE) declined in the year to EUR 41.3bn from EUR 43.7bn AuE at the end of 2010. The decrease in total AuE was driven by the downturn in financial markets in the second half of 2011, as asset values decreased. Robeco has -in close cooperation with SAM- continued in its integration of ESG principles across the majority of the portfolio, including into our fixed income strategies.

Several Robeco investment opportunities were awarded during 2011. The Robeco Consumer Trends Equities received a Lipper-award for the outstanding performances over the last 5-years in the fund’s category as did Robeco Emerging Markets Equities over a 10-year timeframe. SAM’s Smart Energy investment strategy has been awarded ‘Best Clean Energy Fund’ at Investment Week’s Climate Change Investment Awards in London in 2011. SAM’s Sustainable Climate investment strategy also received a special commendation for ‘Best Climate Change Fund’. Lipper awarded Canara Robeco Income Fund the Best Performing Indian Rupee Bond Fund over a three-year and five-year timeframe. Robeco Asia Pacific Equities was awarded by Lipper for a 10-year timeframe.